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World 4a: Tide Pools
This world 4 is accessible through the door in 3-1 closest to the top. The door will be distinguishable by crabs being around it. Tide Pools is a gorgeous world with many pits of water. Doors block your way that have levers you will need to pull to open. You can still use bombs if a lever is in a dangerous spot. The levers can be triggered again (and by an enemy as well!), so be cautious that you don’t let the doors crush you.
The Star Challenge:
Somewhere in 4a and 4b the mysterious Tun appears for another challenge, this time costing $25,000. This time your goal is to light all the torches in the room in a short time, a difficult task if you lack the jetpack. Successfully completing this challenge in Tide Pools rewards you a Clone Gun which can copy three items/pets/mounts, etc.
4a-1/4a-2/4a-3: Madame Tusk’s Dice Game
Instead of a shop there will be a dice game on this stage. Dice games can also spawn on other stages, but this one is special in that it always spawns, but also that Madame Tusk, a huge Walrus(?) will be in it. Each roll of the dice is $5000 gold, and you can play as many times as you want. Rolling 2-6 is a loss, and you lose your money. Rolling 8-12 in a win, and you recieve $10,000. Rolling a 7 gets you the item behind the beam. I have not been able to do it, but apparently rolling a 7 seven times causes Madame Tusk to think you are a “high-roller”, getting you an invite to Madame Tusk’s Palace of Pleasure in 6-3. If you haven’t done this, the bouncer will inform you that you aren’t on the list and you will trigger enemies upon going in.
4a-2/4a-3: Excalibur and Entrance to Abzu
A sword encased in stone is at the bottom of 4-2. If you went to Vlad’s Castle and retrieved the crown, you will be able to pull the sword from the stone. It kills most anything in one hit. If you have the Ankh, you can find a small entry to the bottom of 4a-3 under a pit of lava, and retrieve a Golden Idol that sets off a lava trap similar to Volcana. Kill yourself in the lava equipped with the Ankh and Excalibur to reveal a door to Abzu.
Secret 4a-4: Abzu
Kingu: Boss in Abzu, that is killed with damage to the back. Defeating Kingu rewards a Tablet of Destiny, usable later.
Enemies:
- Jiangshi: An undead wearing purple who hops towards you at various lengths and heights.
- Jiangshi Assassin: Distinguishable from the normal Jiangshi because its wearing a washed out blue. This enemy hops much like the jiangshi, but can also stand on the ceiling.
- Flying Fish: They spawn in the pools but rise out and attack you in an L shape.
- Octopy: Shoots you with ink then charges you if you get in front of it. The ink will black out much of your vision for a short time, so be careful. If you attack from above, it hops straight up in an attempt to stab you with its barnacles. The spike boots still kill it, but jumping on it without the boots hurts you.
- Hermit Crab: Uses treasure chests and crates as a shell, only coming out to shoot poison bubbles. The crates and chests are not just decoys, though, they still have money and items you can get after defeating the wearer.
- Pangxie: Massive lobster-like creature that extends its pincer in front of him, and shoots poisonous bubbles to foes above. The Pangxie has a ton of health, so be cautious.
- Great Humphead: In 4a-2, in the water below the level, swims a gargantuan fish. Defeating him gets you a present, a hired help, and a camera.
Traps:
- Lion Trap: Much like the Bear Trap, but does more damage.
- Giant Clam: In the water there are sometimes giant clams with items in them. Swipe the item and stick around too long and it’ll close on you.
- Sliding Wall: Activate a lever, usually nearby, to open and shut these path-blocking walls.
- Snap Trap: haha!
Mounts:
The Tide Pools introduces a new mount-type, the Axolotl. It’s a pink, silly-looking animal that shoots bubbles. If you get in front of a wild Axolotl, it will shoot you with a bubble until it pops on a wall or ceiling. You can influence where the bubble goes when you are in it, but many times if you aren’t careful you get stuck in an unending loop where the Axolotl bubbles you over and over, and you can’t break free. Long story short, much like the Rock Dog, don’t step in front, jump onto. After it’s tame, the Axolotl provides you with a double jump, the bubble attack (if you keep shooting bubbles, it pushes enemies in bubbles away), and on third press of the jump button, a teleport. As with any teleporting, you can kill yourself if you teleport into a wall, so use very carefully.